Carrier Marks 100 Years of Rational Psychrometric Formulae

Dec. 8, 2011, marks the 100-year anniversary of the rational psychrometric formulae, the cornerstone of all fundamental calculations in the air-conditioning industry, developed by Willis Carrier, founder of Carrier Corp., the Farmington, Conn.-based provider of air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration systems.

According to the company, Carrier presented the formulae, which help determine the precise correlation between temperature and humidity to create a comfortable environment year-round, on Dec. 8, 1911, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

“His invitation to the meeting recognized air conditioning as a formal branch of engineering and turned 35-year-old Carrier into an internationally recognized leader in the field,” the company said.

John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer for UTC Climate, Controls & Security Systems, said: “Dr. Carrier’s development of the psychrometric formulae unlocked the potential of air conditioning for the world. From his first installation that marked the birth of modern air conditioning, the psychrometric formulae enabled an entire global industry to flourish by meeting the comfort, productivity, and health needs of people across the world.”

Even today, engineering students learn the formulae as part of their coursework.

“Students of engineering today appreciate the tremendous work done by Willis Carrier,” Charles Williamson, the Willis H. Carrier professor at Carrier’s alma mater, Cornell University, said. “Without these early researchers and the work they did with little or no equipment, we would not have the basis for the sophisticated systems for air conditioning we have today.”